Hey fellow Gliders!
Allowing users to import CSV data is a feature not natively supported in Glide, but it can be achieved through clever workarounds.
The video breaks down two primary methods for handling bulk data:
Method 1: Looping Workflow (for Smaller Imports)
This approach involves creating a workflow that iterates through each row of a CSV file and adds it as a new record.
Pros: Relatively straightforward to set up within Glide.
Cons: Limited to approximately 1,000 records due to Glide’s operation limits and can be slow for larger datasets, consuming more app updates.
Method 2: Glide API with Stashing (for Large Imports)
This advanced technique leverages Glide’s API v2, specifically the “stashing” feature, for highly efficient bulk uploads.
Pros: Handles hundreds or thousands of records near-instantaneously, significantly more cost-effective (e.g., 2,000 records cost only 20 updates instead of 2,000).
Cons: Requires a deeper understanding of API calls, JSON manipulation, and a bit of JavaScript for “chunking” data. It also introduces the need to work with column IDs instead of readable headers, often requiring AI assistance for conversion.
The video includes a step-by-step guide for both methods, including:
- Building an importer interface.
- Validating CSV files and headers.
- Converting CSV to JSON.
- Enabling manual workflow triggers.
- Configuring the API calls leveraging stashing to keep updates to a minimum
Enjoy!
